Lecture

Knowledge
Management

June 2004

How to Deal
with a Case Study
Yale Braunstein
June 2004

How to deal with a Case Study

1
Lecture
Agenda
Knowledge
Management

June 2004

1. Why Case Studies?

I. Agenda
1. Why Case Studies?
2. How to deal with
them?
2. How to deal with them?
3. The report

3. The report

How to deal with a Case Study

2
Lecture
Case Studies and Practice
Knowledge
Management
- Interesting, real world situations
June 2004
with insights into the studies of
management
I. Agenda
1. Why Case Studies?
- Decision making
2. How to deal with
them?
3. The report
- may become easier
- better quality of decisions
- faster decision making
- Working in teams

How to deal with a Case Study

3
Lecture
Case Studies Solutions
Knowledge
Management
- Different from normal homework
June 2004
design
- Often more than one answer
- depends on assumptions and
I. Agenda
1. Why Case Studies?

problem definition
2. How to deal with
them?
3. The report

- Time is well spent

- confidence in a decision-making
position
- parallels to real-world situations

How to deal with a Case Study

4
Lecture
Attacking the Case
Knowledge
Management

June 2004
- Problems with quantity of information
- first too much/later not enough
- Solution:
I. Agenda
1. Why Case Studies?
- seek additional information
2. How to deal with
them? - make assumptions
- Decide which questions to answer first
3. The report

- Instructor will be more interested in

the analyses and process than in
absolute correctness

How to deal with a Case Study

5
Lecture
Steps of Problem Analyses
Knowledge

- Read the case thoroughly

Management

June 2004

- Define the central issue

- Define the firms goals (specific to
organization)
I. Agenda
1. Why Case Studies?

- Identify the constraints to the

2. How to deal with
them?
3. The report

problem
- Identify all the relevant
alternatives
- Select the best alternative
- Develop an implementation plan
How to deal with a Case Study
6
Lecture
More on the Question of Focus
Knowledge
Management
 Is there one issue or many issues?
June 2004
 The answer may not be simple or obvious
 Often it makes sense to organize the
I. Agenda
1. Why Case Studies?
problem statement in a hierarchical way
 A single over-riding issue
2. How to deal with
them?
3. The report

 Additional issues, but usually

subsidiary to the main issue
 Triage
Deal with most important areas first

How to deal with a Case Study

7
Lecture
The Report
Knowledge
Management

June 2004
- Written or oral
- Describes the solution of the case
I. Agenda
1. Why Case Studies?
- Express yourself clearly
2. How to deal with
them? - Explain the analyses and logic
3. The report

- Separate "facts" from opinion

- Lay out a plan for
implementating the decision

How to deal with a Case Study

8
Lecture
Written Reports
Knowledge
Management
- Short, well-organized report is
better than a long, unorganized one
June 2004

- Do not include trivial matters

I. Agenda
- Typical sections:
1. Why Case Studies?
2. How to deal with
- executive summary
them?
3. The report - problem statement
- alternatives
- conclusion
- implementation

How to deal with a Case Study

9